Bianchi Oltre XR.4 Frameset, Matte Black

The new Bianchi Oltre XR4 aero road bike was officially presented during the Bianchi Press Event in Franciacorta (Italy) on Thursday July 14th, and the very first bikes in the UK are already in store at Epic Cycles. And to say that they are attracting attention is a an understatement...

The only word to describe the Oltre XR4 is stunning - both in looks and in ride quality. It is without question one of the best looking any of us has ever seen - that in itself puts it at the top of most people's wish-list - but to back that up with a ride that is class leading in every sense makes the XR4 irresistible. Never has a bike with these levels of stiffness, power transfer or aerodynamics delivered such a sublimely smooth ride feel, with handling that is just perfection!

The Oltre XR4 is the fifth bike launched by Bianchi to feature the exclusive and innovative Countervail Carbon Vibration-Cancelling Technology. This remarkable material simply cancels vibrations that come from uneven road surfaces, which of course leads to increased comfort, but just as significantly it also increases rider control - whether over massively uneven surfaces, such as cobbles, or when the bike is under extreme pressure from cornering forces or sprint-level power.

Oltre XR4 - Countervail

Bianchi collaborated with Materials Sciences Corp. to develop their innovative and exclusive application of the patented Countervail® integrated vibration canceling system for cycling. Scientific studies prove that long term exposure to vibration, typically absorbed by the rider, causes muscle fatigue and discomfort, resulting in reduced performance - and the stiffer the bike, in terms of flex under power, the more vibration becomes an issue, affecting not only comfort but stability and control at speed.

Traditional passive damping of the frame using superficial rubber inserts and isolators are only marginally effective compared to the integrated carbon Countervail® system developed by Bianchi and proven in the extreme conditions of NASA aerospace operations. With its patented carbon fibre architecture and viscoelastic material, Countervail® carbon material is actually embedded within the carbon layup Countervail® is a patented viscoelastic carbon material with a unique fiber architecture that cancels up to 80% of vibrations while increasing the stiffness and strength of carbon frames and forks. Countervail is embedded within the layup of Bianchi CV high-performance models, immediately cancelling vibration while increasing the stiffness and strength of the entire frame.

And Countervail isn’t a small insert or dotted around the frame in patches – that’s not the way it works! It is used in every tube as it needs to be across the whole frame to maximise cancellation. It doesn’t provide cushioning or masking, with the inherent issues of deadening the ride – it cancels vibrations before they reach the rider. Countervail is expensive stuff - but it's worth every penny as it is quite simply unique in its ability to cancel vibrations and deliver control and power.

The Oltre XR4 was designed to be at the absolute cutting edge of aerodynamics thanks to advanced CFD and Flow Visualisation – technologies borrowed straight from aerospace and F1 car design.

When combined with advanced analysis, the resulting data enabled Bianchi to achieve a significant aerodynamic saving of 20 watts over their already hugely efficient XR2 frameset.

AERO HEADTUBE- Tapered aero headtube 1.1/8” to 1.4”, inspired by Aquila CV profiles- The headtube is integrated with aero handlebar and headset (if required)- Two different top caps for the Vision Metron 5D handlebar and conventional stems

CHAINSTAYS- Straight and wider chainstay for higher stiffness and internal cable routing for mechanical and electronic groupset- Full carbon dropout with metal insert